Flash mob melee includes pepper spray, fights

A 'flash mob' of young people caused what police say was a melee in an East Burnside Street convenience store Friday night.

No one was arrested, but employees of the store and a couple of bystanders fought with some of the people in the group. One employee was struck several times by a young man he was trying to subdue. Another employee used pepper spray to break up a fight.

Police were called at about 11:04 p.m. to the Max Mart and Deli, 12128 E. Burnside St., after the disturbance. Witnesses told police that a group of 15 to 20 African American boys and girls chased a woman and a man into the store. As the woman asked a store clerk to call 9-1-1, the group ran into the store and took alcohol, candy and food from the shelves. Employees confronted the young people during the melee.

After pepper spray was used, all the young people, and the man and woman, ran from the store.

Police are looking at the store's surveillance video to identify the people involved in the incident.